Ronnie O’Sullivan has set his sights on an unprecedented eighth World Snooker Championship title as he edges closer to the twilight of his glittering career — but insists he isn’t ready to hang up his cue just yet.
The seven-time world champion, who turns 50 in December, already holds the record as the oldest winner in Crucible history after his triumph two years ago.
Now, he is targeting another milestone: becoming the first player in his fifties to lift the sport’s greatest prize.
O’Sullivan, level with Stephen Hendry on seven titles, has frequently been self-critical about his form in recent years, prompting speculation that he was nearing retirement.
Those rumours intensified last week when he confirmed he had relocated from Britain to Dubai — a move that many interpreted as the beginning of his farewell.
The London-born star, who recently rekindled his relationship with actress Laila Rouass, said the relocation was motivated by both personal and professional reasons.
Rouass, who married O’Sullivan in June following a brief split earlier this year, reportedly refused to live in Yorkshire, while the 50-year-old admitted he was struggling to find a suitable place to practice in the UK.
Faced with a choice between Spain and the UAE, the couple opted for Dubai, joining a long list of British celebrities who have traded the drizzle for desert skies.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has set his sights on an unprecedented eighth World Snooker Championship title as he edges closer to the twilight of his glittering career — but insists he isn’t ready to hang up his cue just yet
|PA/INSTAGRAM
But in a defiant message ahead of his return at the Xi’an Grand Prix, O’Sullivan dismissed any talk of imminent retirement.
Speaking to The Express, he said his competitive fire still burns — and that his ultimate motivation is to surpass Hendry’s record.
“I’ve always said there’s nothing left for me to achieve in snooker,” he said.
“But that’s [an eighth win at the Crucible] all that’s left for me to achieve.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan is level with Stephen Hendry on seven World Snooker Championships
| PA“I’m going to aim for another two or three world titles, knowing I probably won’t get three — maybe not even two — but I might get one.
“I always think if you aim well above what you want, even if you fall short, you end up somewhere you’re happy with.
“There’s no point saying I’d like to make the quarters — that’s probably all I’d do.
“But if I say I want to win another two or three, maybe I’ll win one. It’s about pushing your mind beyond the finish line.”
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| PAO’Sullivan came close earlier this year, reaching the semi-finals of the World Championship before being beaten by eventual winner Zhao Xintong.
Reflecting on that run, he said: “I was close even though I wasn’t playing great.
“I didn’t have a good cue; I had problems with my tip — it was all over the place.
“I’m not making excuses. Now I can just play snooker for the next two or three years. There’s only one thing left people talk about — winning another world title.”
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been critical of himself in recent times
| PAThe snooker great has joined the likes of Amir Khan, Lindsay Lohan and Rio Ferdinand in making Dubai his new base, describing it as “the perfect set-up” for the final phase of his career.
“It’s really good — I’ve got a practice facility there, which was one of the main reasons for going,” he told The Sun.
“I was struggling to find somewhere to play here.
“It was either get a train up to Sheffield or move there, but my wife wasn’t too keen. So she said: either Spain or Dubai.
“I’m really enjoying it out there. Great gyms, great weather.
“I’ve met some really nice people and fitted in really well. I’m not a sunbather, but I’d much rather the heat than the cold — if that makes sense.”